قَد كانَ ذو القَرنَينِ قَبلي مُسلِماً

مَلِكاً عَلا في الأَرضَ غَيرَ مُعَبَّدُ

The two-horned had been before me a Muslim

A king who rose high in the earth unpaved

بَلَغَ المَشارِقَ وَالمَغارِبَ يَبتَغي

أَسبابَ مُلكٍ مِن كَريمٍ سَيِّدِ

He reached the east and the west seeking

Means of noble kingship from a generous lord

فَرَأى مَغيبَ الشَمسِ عِندَ مَآبِها

في عَينِ ذي خُلُبٍ وَيأطِ حَرمَدِ

He saw the setting of the sun in its harbor

In the eye of muddy darkness and bitter cold

مِن قَبلِهِ بَلقيسُ كانَت عَمَّتي

حَتى تَقَضّى مُلكُها بِالهُدهُدِ

Before him was Balqis who was my aunt

Until her kingdom ceased by the hoopoe